The defense minister was being treated for prostate cancer and a urinary tract infection, doctors say
LOLITA C. BALDOR, TARA COPP, SEUNG MIN KIM and ZEKE MILLERJanuary 9, 2024
Secretary of Defense Lloyd
J.
Austin
III
has prostate cancer, and his recent undisclosed hospitalization was for surgery and
later
to treat a urinary tract infection related to that surgery, his doctors said Tuesday.
The 70 year old
Austin
70,
was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in December. 22 and underwent surgery to treat the cancer. He developed the infection a week later. President
Joe
Biden and other senior administration officials were not told about his for days
cancer or
hospitalization
or his cancer
.
According to doctors, the cancer was discovered when Austin underwent regular screenings in early December. The
j
said he performed a minimally invasive surgical procedure and went home the next day. But on January 1, he reported nausea and severe abdominal, hip and leg pain due to the infection.
The
doctor’s office
said
this
prostate cancer was detected early and the prognosis is excellent.
The
cancer
revelation comes after days of
persistent
questions about Austin’s hospitalization and the reporting delays
key.key
leaders. And it raises more questions about the transparency and veracity of the
Defense
Department, for what
Past
said four days
Austinhe
What
initial
at Walter Reed for an elective medical procedure,
And
no prostate surgery.
Requested
Wednesday
about that choice of words, Major General Pat Ryder,
the
That’s what the Pentagon press secretary said
during a briefing on Tuesday,
it was developed in consultation with Austin’s physicians. When pressed about the delays in public notification, Ryder said: “Despite the frequency of prostate cancer, discussions about screening, treatment and support are often deeply personal and private.”
It was
Calm
Tuesday it is not clear how
the disease this
will influence Austin’s
work job,
travel or
other
public involvement in the future.
The lack of transparency about Austin’s hospitalization, including the failure to tell Biden and other top officials about it
or the reason for it
has led to sharp criticism for days. Several Republican lawmakers
even
said Austin should be impeached. And earlier Tuesday, the White House chief of staff instructed Cabinet members to notify his office if they were ever unable to perform their duties.
Dr. Johannes Maddox
medical director trauma,
and Dr. Gregorius Kastanje
van, director of the Center for Prostate Disease at
Walter Reed provided the first details of Austin’s prediction in a Pentagon statement. They said he was under anesthesia during the first surgery and when he went to the intensive care unit
on
By January 2, the infection had caused an intestinal backup and his stomach had to be emptied with a tube in his nose.
We expect a full recovery, although this may be a slow process, the doctors said. They noted that prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men.
affects 1 in 8 (among African American men, 1 in 6). and it affects 1 in 8 men and 1 in 6 African American men during their lifetime.
The Biden administration, reeling
learn from
Austin’s surprising illness
last week
is in the process of a policy review.
And
The Pentagon has done that
So
launched its own review.
White House Chief of Staff
Jeff Zients indicated in a memo to Cabinet secretaries that they had sent it
the White House Friday
each
existing
procedures for delegating authority in the event of incapacity or loss of communication
before Friday
. While the review is underway, he is requiring agencies to notify his office and the Office of Cabinet Affairs
at the White House
when an agency experiences or plans to experience a circumstance in which a Cabinet Head is unable to perform his or her duties.
Biden and other top officials were not told for days that Austin had been hospitalized
And
had transferred power to his deputy. A Pentagon spokesperson blamed the absence on a key staffer’s absence
sick
with the flu.
Agencies should ensure that delegations are issued when a Cabinet member travels to areas with limited or no access to communications, undergoes hospitalization or a medical procedure requiring general anesthesia, or otherwise in a circumstance where he or she may be unreachable, the statement said. memo from Zients. It also requires that agencies document when such a transfer of authority occurs and that the person fulfilling the acting role promptly contact relevant White House staff.
A copy of the memo was obtained by the Associated Press.
During Austin’s two hospitalizations, he transferred some of his powers to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, but she was not told why. The White House was recently notified that Austin was in the hospital
Thursday Jan. 4
and the public and Congress only heard about it
Friday, a day later.
The Pentagon released a memo on Monday about its internal review and expanded the circle of leaders who would be notified of any delegation of authorities by the Secretary of Defense to ensure proper and timely notification in the future the president and the White House is done. and, as appropriate, the United States Congress and the American public.
In the future, every time authority is transferred, a broader group of officials will do so
So
To be notified,
includingto include
the Pentagon General Counsel, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commanders, Service Secretaries, the Service Chiefs, the White House Situation Room, and the senior staff of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense.
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.